Vice Mayor shot dead by council member in Aklan

UPDATED as of 11:36 AM. Vice Mayor Julio Estolloso of Ibajay, Aklan, was fatally shot Friday morning by Sangguniang Bayan Member Mihrel Senatin inside the municipal council office, according to police and eyewitness reports.

Witnesses said Estolloso sustained six to seven gunshot wounds to the head and chest. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The suspect, Senatin, is currently in the custody of the Ibajay Municipal Police Station.

Both Estolloso and Senatin were part of the same political team during the May 2025 elections. Initial accounts indicate the shooting occurred during a possible SB meeting, though it was not a regular session.

Following the incident, Estolloso’s grandson, George Estolloso, posted a message on Facebook mourning his grandfather's death:

“A beautiful life, lived in service to others. Daw d ako kapati! Another life lost in the name of public service. Politics truly is a different kind of beast. JUSTICE for Lolo Vice Mayor Julio Estolloso.”

Chancellor Rev. Fr. Justy F. More also offered prayers for the late vice mayor, the brother of Fr. Jose Estolloso of the Diocese of Kalibo:

“Let us keep the Estolloso family in our prayers during this most difficult time. Eternal rest grant unto Julio, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”